Fibroblasts regulate the transcriptional signature of human papillomavirus-positive keratinocytes

Persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is necessary but insufficient for viral oncogenesis. Additional contributing co-factors, such as immune evasion and viral integration have been implicated in HPV-induced cancer progression. It is widely accepted that HPV + keratinocytes require co-culture with fibroblasts to maintain viral DNA as episomes. How fibroblasts regulate viral episome maintenance is a critical knowledge gap. Here we present comprehensive RNA sequencing and proteomic analysis demonstrating that coculture with fibroblasts is supportive of the viral life cycle, and is confirmatory of previous observations. Novel observations suggest that errors in “cross-talk” between fibroblasts and infected keratinocytes may regulate HPV integration and drive oncogenic progression. Our co-culture models offer new insights into HPV-related transformation mechanisms. •Fibroblast coculture supports HPV RNA expression and episomal maintenance in HPV + keratinocytes.•Fibroblasts reduce EMT related gene expression in HPV + keratinocytes.•Fibroblasts promote EMT related gene expression in E6E7+ keratinocytes.